The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
HBMS President and CEO Peter Jones yesterday released the projected life span of the Flin Flon area mines, highlighting the stark reality faced by a community that exists because of the ore beneath it. The three mines ? Konuto Lake, Trout Lake and 777 ? are projected to close one by one over the next 12 to 14 years, Jones told the Healthy Flin Flon forum at the Friendship Centre. "We expect currently to operate to around about 2016, 2018 based on what we know and can confirm is in the ground," said Jones, who often pointed to charts projected on the wall during his presentation. "This is not based on what we think may be there; this is in fact based on what we know is there." HBMS expects its Konuto Lake mine near Denare Beach to be depleted by the end of next year, the first of the three operations to expire. "No matter what we do, unless a miracle occurs, Konuto will close at the end of 2005," said Jones. "We've looked hard and we could find no further extensions of the ore body." Next would be the Trout Lake mine in 2011, followed by the newest of the mines, 777, in the 2016 to 2018 time frame. The company's Chisel North mine near Snow Lake is projected to last until 2011. "Obviously, every mine that ever was has a beginning and, unfortunately, it has an end," said Jones. "When that end happens, it's necessary to have a plan of closure. "We have to generate plans as part of the way we do business for these mines." Mayor Dennis Ballard isn't too concerned over the timeline, predicting additional ore will be found to keep Flin Flon going beyond current projections. "I personally believe that ore will become available as the years come, and that [the projections] won't be an issue," he said.
